UConn's Todman Goes To Chargers In 6th Round

Jordan Todman didn't expect to be going to the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick, but at least he's going.

The former UConn tailback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher and Big East Offensive Player of the Year, was selected by the San Diego Chargers with the 183rd pick overall Saturday.

It was a significant fall from where Todman had been projected to go, which was anywhere between the second and fourth rounds.

Instead, he heard his name in the second-to-last round and after two other Huskies were selected. Fullback Anthony Sherman was the first, going to Arizona in the fifth round. Linebacker Lawrence Wilson was taken by Carolina with the first pick of the sixth round.

"Everything happens for a reason," Todman said moments after he was picked. "I'm sure there are places everybody else thought they would be taken but I was taken where I was. There's nothing else I can do about it except make the most of it and go out there and bust my butt."

Asked why he thought he didn't get selected in the earlier rounds, Todman (5 feet 9, 203 pounds) was baffled, although he said he did not regret leaving UConn a year early.

"I have no. ...I honestly don't know," Todman said by phone. "I have, honestly, no idea and it's crossed my mind a bunch of times but nothing came to me as a reason why. I have no issues. I'm healthy. I felt like my film did a lot of talking for me. I performed well at the [scouting] combine, so to be honest I have no explanation."

One of the knocks on Todman was his size and if he could be an every-down back. Todman proved he could do that in the Big East, but other running backs from the conference — Delone Carter (Syracuse), Bilal Powell (Louisville) and '09 Big East Offensive Player of the Year Dion Lewis (Pitt) — were taken ahead of him.

The Chargers may view Todman as a less-costly replacement for running back/returner Darren Sproles, who is not expected by stay in San Diego for salary cap reasons. Todman was one of the Huskies' primary kickoff returners his first two seasons. He averaged 25 yards a return in 37 career attempts, included one for a touchdown at Notre Dame in 2009.

San Diego was 15th in the NFL in rushing last season, with 2010 first-round pick Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert splitting most of the carries.

"It's just nerve-wracking, nerve-wracking for somebody actually going in the second round," said Todman, a second-team All-American who ran for 1,695 yards and 14 touchdowns last season "You're watching the first round, second and third rounds unfold and you're looking at every pick, going through it, seeing what teams need a running back, what teams you can help out.

"I kept on going, 'OK, not this round, maybe this round; not this round, maybe next round.' I kept saying that and then it finally happened."

Todman, of North Dartmouth, Mass., was one of the top running back performers at February's combine. It was there where he saw some of the names and faces that came off the board before he did. They motivated him there and he already had extra motivation because of the size criticism.

Twenty running backs came off the board before him, but the three from the Big East had to hurt since he outperformed them all.